A/N: I want to thank you all for the wonderful advice, and for your patience and understanding! The writers block is still kicking my a$$, but I somehow managed to type this chapter up pretty quickly! :D It's not as good as I'd like it to be, but I tried my best. I know exactly what I'm going to do with this story and have already outlined it, so hopefully it's smooth sailing from here on out!

Again, thank you all so much! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Richelle Mead owns Vampire Academy.

Unknown POV:

"Who was the one who killed my brother?" Robert Doru asked. "I want the name. Now."

Everything about this motel was throwing him further into his terrible mood. He hated the dirty carpet, the stained sheets, the rusty tiles in the shower, the brownish water.

"Natasha!" Robert yelled to get her attention.

"What is it?" The woman snapped, tugging the brush through her raven locks and setting it on the cracked counter of the bathroom.

"Was it Rosemarie or Vasilisa?" he demanded.

Malice gleamed in her ice-blue eyes. "The police killed Victor. But it was Rose's fault. She brought them there."

"Good. I love Vasilisa…she's a dear. I would have hated to kill her…but if I had to. Anyways, I need to get to her." Robert said. "The only honor I can bring my brother now is by avenging his death. I won't…I can't stop until she is dead."

A slow grin spread across her lips as her heart-shaped face filled with anticipation. "I'll bring you to Rose immediately."

RPOV:

"I'm carrying a foreigner in my belly."

Dimitri outright laughed. "Ivan will be born here. He is American."

"Says the Russian." I narrowed my eyes. "Do you think he'll need a green card? Like a small one?"

Dimitri walked out of the room, shaking his head, muttering things in his native tongue. "Crazy woman."

"Hey! I heard that!"

My fiancé turned around, smiling beautifully. "I love you, Roza."

"Don't try to sweet talk me."

"You're so beautiful."

"It's not working."

"Do you want me to make you a big breakfast?"

"Mmmm! Yeah! Okay, I forgive you." I trotted into the kitchen along with him.

The bell rang, signaling the end of class. "Thank God." I said to Lissa who was waiting out in the hall with a cup of hot cocoa and a sweet roll. "I don't think I can take another second of biology."

"College is awesome, isn't it?" she said as we walked towards the courtyards.

The pastry stuffed halfway in my mouth, I turned and gave her an incredulous look. "Are you insane?"

"Learning makes me happy. Got a problem with it?"

"Yeah," I scoffed, swallowing. "College is like high-school all over again. Do you know how much homework is in this bag? A lot. I can't tell you how many times I've contemplated dropping out."

She stopped dead in her tracks, then grabbed my arm and yanked me back. "You can't do that! You've worked so hard to get where you are now. You're the teachers pet. You're the best and smartest student in that class. And you've already invested nearly three years into this. Don't. Quit."

"Sweet Jesus," I said as we resumed walking, rubbing the burning spot on my arms from where her fingers left marks in my skin. "You're pretty goddamn scary when you're passionate about something."

"That's exactly why we're still together," Christian strolled up, throwing an arm over my best friend's shoulders and placing a kiss to her cheek. "You should see her in the bedroom. She's a beast."

Lissa blushed and shrugged. "It's these pregnancy hormones. I can't help it. One moment I'm stuffing my face, and the next I'm pouncing on you like an animal."

"I feel ya," I murmured, recalling the last time Dimitri and I had been together. Eight hours ago. God, it seemed so long.

"I'm not complaining one bit," Christian bent down and bit my best friend teasingly on her throat.

Giggling like a school girl, she turned her head to meet his awaiting lips.

"Disgusting," I glanced at my watch. "I gotta go. Dimitri's gonna be off work soon."

"Such a shame. I miss you already." Christian said.

"Bite me. See ya lovebirds later."

"Bye!"

Out on the field, I spotted Dimitri directing the cadets in a set of jumping jacks. And like the hard ass he was at his job, he towered over a new recruit, right up in the teenagers face.

Squinting to get a good look at the students face, I picked up my pace, wobbling as fast I could across the wet grass without slipping on the mud. "Shit." I muttered as the kid took a swing and cracked Dimitri in the jaw

It was Mathew. The same cadet that had tackled me to the ground and caused me to have a severe concussion.

Mathew was picked up by the fabric of his black tank-top and thrown to the ground. Having lost his control, my fiancé was on top of the student in a heartbeat, baring his teeth and shouting at him.

The cadets stopped what they were doing and stared at their hierarchy and fellow cadet in shock and fear.

"Dimitri! Stop!"

When it seemed as if he hadn't heard me, or maybe he had simply ignored me, I shoved two fists in his hair and yanked, craning his head backwards. The instant Dimitri met my eyes, the expression on his face positively melted, the tension left his body.

"Get off of him now!"

That softness in him dissolved, morphing into his signature General mask. "This is none of your business, Rose. Get out of here. Now."

"To hell with that." Clamping my fingers on his shoulders, I used all of the strength within me to give one good shove. Dimitri tipped of Mathew's chest and landed in the grass.

I might be pregnant, but that didn't mean I couldn't kick ass.

"What did you do this time?" I helped Mathew to his feet.

He glared at me.

"Tell her." Dimitri drawled, crossing his arms. "I guarantee you that once she hears, you will be wishing for me to give you the punishment. Go ahead. Tell my wife what you said about her."

"It was about me?"

"My wife is waiting for your answer, Mr. Anderson."

Still, the cadet kept his trap shut.

Dimitri spoke up. "He called you a whore. Said that was all you will ever be—"

My fist sailed and connected with Mathew's cheek, snapping his head to the side. "Really? A whore? You couldn't have been more original?" My hands grabbed his face, contorting his features until it was hard for him to breathe.

"Don't. Touch. Me." he panted.

"He's been expelled from the academy, Roza. You really shouldn't be handling him right now."

"Remove that expulsion."

"That's not of my power."

I spun around to face my fiancé, positively fuming. "Then get your ass in there and make it your power," I jabbed my finger at the administrative building. "This kid isn't going anywhere."

"I have to go," Dimitri kissed me, then went over to the mirror and straightened his tie. He was dressed in a navy-blue suit, representing the school color of St. Augustine's. The lapels, shoulders, and breast pockets of his jacket were covered in an assortment of brass pins and colorful ribbons and badges. All signified my fiancé's accomplishments and tough climb to the top of the game as general.

"I'm so proud of you," I said, pulling him down for a quick peck. "I'm going to be waiting for you when you get back."

"That's what I love to hear," Dimitri wrapped his arms around me and drew me against him. "Do you want to know what my favorite part of the day is?"

"Hmmm?"

"Coming home to you. Just knowing that I'm going back to a warm home, with my wife and our son….it makes me the happiest man on earth."

"As you should be," I laughed quietly, running the back of my fingers against his cheek. "You've got a hot wife that you get to bonk every night. What guy wouldn't be happy?"

"True. You make some very good points," he chuckled and ran the tip of his nose along my neck, inhaling deeply. "And I'm not sure I like the word bonk. It's too crude. We make love."

"We make magic."

Almost as if on cue, Ivan kicked. Hard.

"See! The baby agrees that he is magical."

Dimitri crouched down and did the whole kiss-and-caress thing with my swollen belly. "Dad loves you, son. Very much. Now be good for your mother while I'm gone at the meeting."

My fiancé got to his feet, pressed his lips to mine briefly, and headed for the door. "I love you, Roza."

"Same to you, General." I blew him a kiss, to which he responded with a wink and lick of his lips—a secret promise of the fun that was to come when he got home form work.

I couldn't wait. To pass the time, I soaked in a bubble bath and watched a couple episodes of Project Runway.

A few hours had passed already, and I was getting more restless by the second. Glancing at the coat and slippers on the floor reminded me of something.

Outside, the fall weather was crisp and cool, smelling of the fresh pine trees that surrounded the academy. The blistering wind stung my face and whipped my hair. Taking a deep breath through my nose, I let all the stress go and just focused on the beauty of the night.

Rubbing my swollen belly in circles, I smiled and began walking. Already, I began to feel my mind clear like someone had wiped my skull with Windex. These night walks were amazing. The only peace I found in my chaotic world beside Dimitri and our unborn son.

Dimitri and I usually went on these walks together every night, just to spend some quality time together and make sure that I was getting a decent amount of exercise during my pregnancy, but since my fiancé was busy tonight, I decided to go out alone.

The Jasmines were in full bloom, and as I stepped by the bush, I couldn't resist the urge to pick a flower and bring it up to my nose for a whiff.

"Beautiful, aren't they?"

"Oh, God," A hand flew to my heaving chest. "You scared the shit out of me, Alberta. You too, Itty Bitty."

"It's Stan."

"Man, I feel sorry for you," I said. "Alberta really has done a number on your ego, hasn't she?"

"You forgot to mention his dignity." she chuckled. "I got that under tight wraps, in the pocket of my camo's."

"Oh, look! He's making a mean face. I think we upset him Alberta." Laughter bubbled from my mouth.

"We're sincerely sorry, Tiny." Alberta slapped a hand on his shoulder and pursed her lips together. "No, really. We are—Oh, what the hell. Just suck it up, pull up your big girl panties, and deal with it. Rose?"

"Yup."

"Where you headed?"

"Just going on a walk. Waiting for the general to come home." I smiled, rubbing my stomach in circles.

Alberta's expression went grave. "It's going to be awhile, honey. One of the new recruits…"

"Come on, say it. I'm more than equipped to handle whatever gruesome details you have to share."

"One of the new cadets sneaked a knife into the orientation and attacked two of the Honor cadets."

"Jesus. Are they okay?"

"Nope," Stan said. "One's dead. Other's in critical condition…barely hanging on by a thread. The kid really fucked them up before the guards and General Belikov stepped in."

"Is Dimitri okay?"

"He's got a pretty nasty gash on his hand from when he tried to grab the knife, but besides that, he'll live."

"It was Mathew, wasn't it?"

Alberta and Stan nodded in unison.

Guilt and regret twisted my gut until it was hard to breathe. "Fuck. I knew that kid was going to do something bad. I just knew it. I didn't know it was going to be this bad, though. What are they going to do with him?"

"That's for the Lord to decide."

It felt like I had been sucker punched. "He's…dead? Mathew is dead?"

"Slit his own throat," Stan said unconcernedly. "Suicide mission. At least that's what the authorities believe."

"My God," I pressed both hands to my tummy, trying to gather strength and comfort from Ivan.

"I know what you're thinking, Rose." Alberta grabbed my arm. "Don't blame yourself. That kid wasn't able to be saved. He was messed up in his head. You couldn't have done anything."

"I could have tried."

"And he could have done to you what he did to those cadets and himself. Stop it. Now."

"I need to see Dimitri. Where is he?"

"That's not such a good idea—"

"Just outside of the gates. Dealing with the police—"

My feet were picking up a dead run before Stan was finished speaking.

Moments later, I spotted the red, blue, and white siren lights from the police car. My heart swelled at the sight of Dimitri talking with two detectives. Even from where I was, I could see the strain and pain in his face, and knew he was blaming himself for everything. I just wanted to wrap my arms around him and hug him like there was no tomorrow.

I sprinted as fast as I could, trying not to bounce my son around too much. He kicked me hard in the ribs, almost like a: WTF, mom?

Clonk.

Something hard cracked against the back of my skull. I heard the blow before I felt it. A split second later, I was down on the ground, flat on my back. My vision swam with bright stars and chirping birds.

A bat.

I squinted.

Was that a fucking bat?

"Shit." I groaned, white spots dancing before my vision.

Right before I blacked out, two heads appeared before me. Maybe I was hallucinating or imaging things, but I could have sworn I saw Tasha and some other weirdo that looked eerily like Victor leaning over my body.